No comment from Netanyahu on the Israeli captive reported killed in Gaza
Protests in Tel Aviv, yet again, as the families of Israeli captives demand that their government reach a ceasefire deal in Gaza that would secure the release of the remaining captives. The protests come as the military wing of Hamas released a statement saying that one female captive was killed and another injured in an Israeli attack on northern Gaza.
There has been no comment from the Israeli government, but the Israeli military has acknowledged the announcement, saying they will investigate and stay in close contact with the families of the captives who are desperate to have Netanyahu listen to them.
The Israeli prime minister, for his part, issued a video statement that did not mention that news, but really tried to defend himself against several reports in a series of scandals on the leak of confidential information, including some news that he was personally behind the derailing of negotiations for a deal back in August.
The Israeli minister of defence is also saying that he did not restrict the mandate of the negotiating team, which hasn’t been negotiating for months now.
For now, the families of Israeli captives have reached out to US President-elect Donald Trump, asking him to intervene, because they believe he might wield a lot of pressure and effect on Netanyahu.
Israeli families of captives held in Gaza and their supporters protest outside the Defence Ministry in Tel Aviv on Saturday
Israelis are worried about the country’s ‘international standing’
A ceasefire agreement is more likely to transpire in Lebanon rather than Gaza as that is “more urgent” for the US, according to Alon Liel, a former Israeli diplomat. “[The Americans] are devoting a lot of energy to the arrangement in the north, and there is no one that could really mediate an agreement in the south,” Liel told Al Jazeera, speaking from Tel Aviv.
Meanwhile, Israelis are currently focused on “the killing of a religious envoy in the Emirates, in Abu Dhabi, and the message that Hamas published about the killing of one of the hostages”, he added.
They are also concerned about Israel’s international standing, given the International Criminal Court arrest warrants against Netanyahu and Gallant, Liel said.
“What especially worries me now is that there will be a massive Israeli campaign against the ICC, and probably also the [International Court of Justice], to the point that [it will threaten] the continuation of their operations,” he said. “And this is a strategic thing, a dramatic thing for Israel’s international standing.”
Still, Netanyahu has managed to strengthen his political standing domestically, both in the Knesset and electorally during the last month because another small party joined his coalition, the former diplomat explained.
However, clashes between his office and the security establishment are also “really worrying”, said Liel.
